Matters of Blood and Connection
by potidaea
Summary: Casey and Olivia's relationship is outed in court during a particularly stressful case...CO, femslash. Author's Note: I've begun to think of this as more of a rough draft than anything. I am aware that it is not entirely accurate in terms of law around objections and the like. I may go back and change it one day, but for now, please appreciate the story for what it is.


The case had been a tough one on both Detective Olivia Benson and her girlfriend, the prosecuting ADA, Casey Novak. A man and his wife had, week after week, went to gay clubs, waiting outside for a man and a woman to walk out into the parking lot alone, and would then proceed to beat and rape them to show them how "normal" people had sex. Their last "unsuspecting" victim, however, was not so unsuspecting. He was an expert in mixed martial arts. Between the two perps, Olivia wasn't quite sure who looked worse.

"The Defense calls Detective Olivia Benson to the stand."

She wasn't quite sure why they'd called her to the stand, but there was a subpoena.

"Detective, you and your partner were the first to the scene of Amanda Roberts' rape, is that correct?"

"No, Elliot didn't get there for a bit. He had a longer drive than I did."

He let out a light laugh, "Oh, excuse me. Partner is such an archaic term. Let me rephrase that…you and your_ girlfriend_ were first at the scene, am I right?"

Casey stood up immediately, "Objection! Relevance!"

The judge was curious, "is there a point to this line a questioning, Counselor?"

"I am simply trying to show that Detective Benson, and if you would let me, others, have ulterior motives for working this case."

The judge nodded once again, "You may continue. Answer the question, Detective."

The brunette just said, "Yes, I did arrive at the scene with my girlfriend."

The slimy defense attorney, Abrams, just smirked, "Isn't that a bit unethical? Bringing a civilian to a crime scene?"

"She's not a civilian, thank you very much. I wouldn't break any laws, Counselor."

"Would you mind sharing with the court the identity of your girlfriend, Detective?"

"Yes, actually, I would. I don't see how this has anything to do with the case at all."

The judge was getting aggravated at this point, "Answer the question, Detective, or I'll have you in contempt."

She sighed, chancing a look towards Casey, who smiled reassuringly in return, "Casey Novak"

Gasps filled the courtroom, which were then quieted by the slam of a gavel and the yell of the presiding judge.

"So, you're telling me that the woman prosecuting this case is gay?"

"What is this? High School?"

Casey, although touched by Olivia's protective manner, had had enough of the three ring circus the courtroom had become, "Your Honor, I think a recess might be appropriate at this time to recollect ourselves."

"Recess granted. Court will re-adjourn in an hour. Counselors, meet me in my chambers."

Casey collected her papers, placing them in her briefcase, then turned to look at the eight victims who sat behind her with their families and significant others. Despite their situations, they all looked amused, having known of her relationship, just from having worked with the pair.

Olivia then walked up behind her, "Case, I'm so sorry."

"No big deal, it's not like Liz and Don don't know."

"Yeah, but the rest of the world didn't have to."

"Anyway, time to face the music. Walk me?"

"You betcha."

The couple walked down to the judge's chambers, Olivia sitting down on a chair outside the office. Casey knocked on the door, "Come on in" came the voice from the other side. She took a deep breath and did just that. The man who'd so kindly aired out her personal life hadn't arrived yet, so she had time to speak to the judge privately.

"Olivia and I _are_ together, which our bosses, friends, and family are well aware of. The fact that this case was assigned to us had nothing to do with our personal lives. Did it affect us? Yes, but we're not the kind of people who bring our personal lives into work. Did the fact that those people could target either one of us drive us to work just that little bit harder? I won't lie to you, it did. The fact that we knew that we could at least put some of the people away who act on such hatred gave us some comfort. If that makes me unfit to prosecute this case, then so be it."

He looked up at her with profound respect, "I think that makes you uniquely qualified, Miss Novak. I will have Detective Benson's testimony removed from the record and I wish the both of you luck."

Casey let out a smile, "Thank you, Your Honor."

Just as they finished their exchange, the defense attorney walked in.

"Ah, you're just in time." Said the judge.

"What for?"

"Detective Benson's testimony will be removed from the record."

"What?" he exclaimed.

"It was completely out of line. Did Miss Novak call _your_ girlfriend to the stand?"

"No, but I'm not a dyke."

Casey debated calling him out on the need to be female to be so inclined, but instead took another route, nodding in acknowledgment of the insult, "I'd expect no less from the man defending such bigoted criminals." And with that, she walked out of the office.

After lunch with Olivia, she returned to the courtroom, subject to much speculation, though the judge did his best to control that.

Finally it was time for closing arguments.

Abrams stepped up first, "The couple you see here today," he motion towards his clients as he spoke to the jury, "are husband and wife. They go to mass every Sunday. They would not do anything to break the vows they made in that church all those years ago. Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I want you to ask yourself, do you believe that they did this?" And with that, he sat down.

Casey then stood up, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, this man is speaking to you as though there is no proof that the defendants did this, that simply because they go to church and are married, that they could never commit such horrid acts. They show no remorse for what they did. Maybe if they had, by accident, taken someone they deemed normal? Would they be sorry then? Then, and _only_ then, would they show remorse."

"Objection!"

While the judge agreed whole-heartedly with her words, her last statement had over-stepped some bounds, "Sustained. Miss Novak, your last statement…"

She nodded, "I apologize, Your Honor."

As she moved to sit down, having completed her statement to the jury, she heard the attorney to her left mutter, "Fucking dyke"

"Your Honor, this is getting ridiculous. This is completely inappropriate and childish."

"Completely inappropriate, Novak, is your relationship." Came the attorney's voice, now at full-volume.

Casey, once again, took it on the chin, "Your Honor, I assume we're getting all of this?"

"What, Novak? Can't fess up to your depravity?"

The judge's gavel came down with a loud bang, "Order; before I hold you in contempt, Abrams!"

He ignored the threat and kept on, "You just need a real man…"

She narrowed her eyes, sick of his ignorance, "And how does that make _you_ a candidate?"

Apparently, he'd forgotten their setting as he lunged forward backhanding her, "You little bitch!"

The judge's gavel came down once again just as the attorney was being restrained by the bailiff, "Mr. Abrams, you are hereby being held for contempt." Once the man was removed by the police officer who stood at the back of the court room, the judge found the detective's eyes in the crowd, and nodded to her. After nodding he said, "Court will be adjourned while the jury reaches a verdict."

She waited for the others to file out, then got up, making her way past the barrier, and to the red-headed Assistant District Attorney who was seated behind the prosecutor's table, hand to her now split lip, pressing experimentally.

"Casey…" She looked up at the sound of her name and the feel of a hand on her shoulder. The brunette gasped at the sight of her girlfriend's lip, reaching inside her coat for the handkerchief she'd taken to carrying for whenever the need arose. Mainly, its purpose was for crying victims and their loved ones, but she'd been known to use it during allergy season. Casey smiled gratefully as she saw the item, regretting it immediately when pain shot through her lip.

Olivia carefully pressed the cloth to the other woman's lip, her other hand placed on the woman's leg, "I think you'll be fine. Anyway, now you can go for the sympathy conviction."

"It hurts, Livvy." She whined.

"You big baby."

"I resent that, Detective."

She rolled her eyes, smiling at the woman, "Hold that to your lip, it should stop bleeding soon."

The attorney let out a muffled, "Thank you," to which Olivia replied with a kiss just shy of the woman's mouth on the side that wasn't covered by cloth, not wanting to hurt her.

Quite a few hours later, the jury returned.

"Madame Foreman, how do you find the defendants on the charge of seven counts of assault and battery?"

"Guilty"

"On the charge of attempted rape?"

"Guilty"

"And on the charge of seven counts of rape in the first degree?"

"Guilty"

In finality, he said, "I hereby sentence the defendants to life in prison."

As the defendants were cuffed and escorted out of the courtroom, still lacking an attorney, Casey looked up at the judge, smiling despite the fact that she knew it would only do her lip harm. She walked up to the bench, "You're a good man, Your Honor."

That night, at home, Casey was still talking animatedly about the case, "I mean, I'd added up the numbers, but I never knew it'd actually happen! God, Liv! They got _life_. I wonder if Abrams ever told them that, if they were found guilty on all counts, that it would add up to _eighty-eight years_. Jesus, Liv, that's…insane. I'm –"

"Casey!"

"What?"

"We just had sex and you want to talk about _that_?"


End file.
